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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: scale · tube · current · wind · suit · pass · content · rule

  1. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  4. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  5. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  6. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  24. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. content — the amount
  2. tube — a container
  3. current — electric
  4. rule — to rule out
  5. current — happening now
  6. current — of water
  7. wind — moving air
  8. tube — the underground
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. wind — moving air
  11. pass — a permit
  12. rule — government
  13. suit — to fit
  14. scale — size or range
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. rule — a law
  18. scale — for weighing
  19. suit — in cards
  20. scale — in music
  21. suit — clothes
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. content — happy

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com